Promises
by Mister Inconsistent
Summary: He'll make sure he keeps every single one.


**Hey everyone!**

**Sorry, it's been ages since I published a new story, I've been real busy revising for my GCSEs.  
Well... procrastinating, but that's a different story.**

**Anyways, here's a sort of story that I haven't written before, and I just wanted to see how it went. Enjoy!**

"You just don't get it!" Anger seeped through bitter agony in Ash's words, as he flinched at the hurt shining in a pair of large, blue eyes.

"You're right. I don't."

"Your idea of guys is wrong and it's about time your stubborn mind realizes it. I'm not as heartless as you think. Why don't you just believe me?"

"You're lying! Why can't you just tell me the truth and admit everything?" A heartbreaking sob followed Dawn's accusation, as she bought her shaking arms around her slender frame and attempted to compose herself.

"Dawn," Ash held his annoyance as desperation crept into his voice as he moved to hold the weeping girl, "Dawn, Okay! I lied! I dated you because I had to get back to her. But then, we became good friends! After everything we've been through, you should know by now that I would not do anything to hurt you."

"Everything we've been through? We've been together for barely seven months, Ash. Gee, we've really been through so much. Hey, don't touch me!" Dawn shrieked, attempting to slap Ash's hands away but failed, as Ash bought his arms around her carefully and crushed her into his chest then breathing deeply into her scent.

"Get away from me," Dawn mumbled as her body automatically snuggled closer to Ash's and relaxed, limp. She felt more tears leak out of her eyes. She sniffed, felt her heart break and felt comforted at the same time.

"Dawn," Ash closed his eyes and swallowed softly, "I love you."

Big mistake.

Instead of being reassured and easing up at Ash's declaration, Dawn tensed and renewed indignation, outrage bubbled within her, and she shoved Ash away forcefully, hissing, "Stop lying to me, damn it! If you love me, you wouldn't have done that!"

"What makes you think that I did that?" Ash growled harshly, exasperated and irked beyond possible. The sudden change from his submissive demeanour into a dominative predator triggered Dawn's hot adrenaline and they pumped into her muscles, causing her to become more wary, alert and enraged than ever.

"I-I... You were! I just know it! Ursula told me!" Dawn choked out, suddenly feeling incredibly stupid and small immediately after she had spoken. Her mind flashed to that one time he told her he would never look at any other bum again. This quirky habit of making promises, often unsolicited, that Ash developed never failed to amuse her. He always makes good of them all, however haphazardly thrown and random they were. She felt silly.

"What?" At the mention of Ursula's name, Ash's passive brown eyes darkened, "Ursula? The girl who backstabbed you in your first year? Why would you believe her?" Ash's lip curled and a look of disgust flashed across his face.

"She told me so", Dawn whispered, all of a sudden regretting everything she had said to Ash.

"So you've convinced yourself that I've been whoring around with some girl just because she told you so, without asking me first or any evidence whatsoever," hearing Ash calmly speaking and seeing the emotionless expression he was wearing had the same effect as having rod pokers twisting into her heart and stomach. Dawn forced herself to nod, inwardly cursing her emotions for blinding her from rational comprehension. She was the one to blame for this, upsetting their imperfect but peaceful relationship.

If she was going to lose Ash, it was going to be her entire fault.

A thick, heavy silence, like the dark clouds pulling towards them, descended among the pair as the weight of the entire situation pressed down onto Ash and Dawn's shoulders.

"I'm so sorry," Dawn couldn't even look him in the eye as she uttered her apology, her throat already constricting and guilt crashing into her, suffocating and crushing her, "I really am, I just thou-"

"Am I supposed to forgive you?" Ash cut her off. At his words, Dawn visibly flinched, and the clouds began to shed their tears, drenching Dawn and Ash.

They stared at each other in silence, for what seemed like eternity before Dawn broke the gaze and retreated.

"I'm going to go home, um," she stuttered and started running towards home. "Goodbye."

Half of her was anticipating and hoping that he would call her back or follow her. The other half wanted to break into a run back to him.

She did not turn back.

And he did not come after her.

* * *

With every step she took, Dawn felt as if every part of her was falling piece by piece, washed by the cold drops of rain.

_"I promise I'll follow you wherever you go. You must tell me where you're applying for college, okay?"_

_"So you're my stalker now, huh?" She laughed._

Laughing miserably, Dawn wiped her face as she neared the front gates of their house and paused to plaster a high-spirited yet artificial grin. The strong winds kept flipping her hair against her cheeks and she brushed some of them away.

_Where was he now? _ Apprehension started to build in her stomach as regret and guilt ignited then flickered out.

The trees lining the sidewalk swayed to the wind. Shadows moved and she paid no heed. It wasn't until a huge scarred arm wrapped around her shoulder that she felt a different kind of apprehension. There was a quick flash of silver and then darkness.

* * *

Ash's heart skipped and he froze, as the scream echoed through the night. The neighbourhood is fairly new and the residences were separated by shaded empty lots. He had tailed Dawn the entire way home and was repeating everything in his mind on what to say to her. Both of them were at fault and they needed to talk about it properly. He did not want their relationship to fall apart because of some petty misunderstanding. He had already reached the bend on the road and was about to call out her name when the familiar voice sounded and his blood ran cold.

She was his entire world. As shallow as it might seem to some, she was the reason why he bothered to get up in the morning and go to some classes. Her smile caused the weight of problems feel lighter than air. He heard splashes, a pair of heavy footsteps-definitely not hers-moving to the opposite direction. His mind raced as his muscles started to react; his world might be falling apart. Because of his timing. And pride.

Dawn had always hated proud people. Pride blinded people to the point that they cannot see things in other perspectives. "If a man jives about everything he does right, then he probably doesn't do things right very often," she would say.

He bolted. Sweat trickled down underneath his jacket. He ran faster.

The scene that greeted Ash when he sprinted past the willowing trees, and into the vicinity shocked him. Dawn crumpled by the gate, with diluted red spreading across her white shirt, a knife clutched in her pale hand. From where he was standing, he could see a huge bald man sprinting away. A dark tattoo slithered around his left arm. Ash quickly went over to Dawn and hugged her slender body, careful not to cause more pain.

"Dawn. Wake up. Oh, no. I'm sorry. Dawn!"

Dawn, upon the sound of his voice, slowly opened her eyes, looking up at the boy. She smiled a little, "I love you, too, Ash." She refused to say this back when he told her earlier in their relationship. Two months ago, at this exact place, right by her house, almost at this same hour, they stood a foot apart while smiling at each other. He kissed her forehead and she did not say it back.

"Oh Arceus, Dawn." Relief flooded into him. "I love you. I love you. Now, hang on. I'll call the hospital, okay? Just a hang on. Hang on."

He stood up to grab his phone from his pants pocket. As he started to dial, the phone beeped and its light went out. Shit. Of all times. He crouched down to quickly rummage through her purse and look for her phone, but found that her bag was missing. Thunder growled and forks of lightning stabbed the earth from the He saw the key Dawn was holding on her right hand and gently but hastily eased it from her fingers.

The girl suddenly grabbed his leg before he could even reach for the gate and he was surprised by the remaining strength his girlfriend had. She was bleeding profusely.

"Don't leave me here. Please. Just hold me."

"What are you talking about? I'm bringing you inside and I'll find the phone so I could call the hospital to come right this instant."

"I won't make it, anyho-"

"Don't say that! You'll make it. I promise." His eyes were aching, as he tried to keep tears from spilling.

"Hey, you have to hold me. I feel so light-headed. Like I'll just float away anytime..."

"I love you, Dawn." He paused and kissed her mouth lightly. "Hold on to me."

"No. I don't feel so good." she cried.

"But "

"Please, Ash."

He knew that if he looked even one mere second into her eyes that his strength would waver and that his hesitation would slow him down. He can't have that, he needed to get her to the hospital.

He laid her on the sofa and ran around to find the phone. Dawn closed her eyes and kept them closed.

When he came back to her seconds later, both her body and the slip cover were drenched with the rain water, and more blood was staining her shirt. Her chest was very very still.

Someone let out a choked sob and it took him a while to realize it was his own cries. His eyes wandered down to her soft pale arms. He went to her side and picked up the knife still clenched in her left hand.

_"I'll follow you wherever you go."_

* * *

But he'll get that tattooed bastard first.

**How was it? Don't hate me for making it sad :/**

**Please tell me if you enjoyed it or not, so I know if I should continue experimenting. Thanks!**


End file.
